It’s hot, I’m tired, and I miss my own bed more than I care to admit. It’s been 48 long, hot hours at the firehouse and we’ve been busy! The heat and humidity is ungodly. In between calls you get to relax in the air-conditioned firehouse which, seems like a nice reprieve however, it’s painfully deceiving. With each call, you walk from the comfort of the air conditioning to this thick wall of suffocating humidity that’s been waiting to greet you like a scorned ex.
From the confined spaces of an attic to the sun beating down on us putting out a sweltering metal fire. The past 48 hours has to be similar to the welcome gates of hell! This is my job, to not fear the unknown, take on the elements and be the difference someone is looking for in their time of peril. On a daily basis, we do what many would call, crazy!
It takes mental strength to drive forward even when you’re physically exhausted and mentally fatigued. Every day we build our strength with the help of our family and the family we’ve built at the station. Your ability to push through the challenges of life, both personally and professionally, is what creates your mental strength. Personally, the most valuable growth to my mental strength comes after I’ve had a chance to process the challenges I just conquered. You see, we condition ourselves to push the envelope and to, “make it work”, no matter what happens. Over the last 5 years, I’ve learned to translate my personal and professional challenges to grow my mental strength.
My daily mental strength comes from my life’s purpose, or my passion. My family embraces me for the man I am, to strive for what I believe is right, to show them, through my actions, what life is and how to live engaged in every moment. No matter the stressors I face, the exhaustion I feel, or the tasks remaining undone. My mental strength makes everything manageable and allows me to be the best me possible.
